Bortezomib in Treating Patients With Unresectable or Metastatic Gastric Cancer or Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically or cytologically confirmed unresectable or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma
• •* Siewert's class II or III disease
• •Measurable disease
• •* At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion at least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• •No history of known or active brain metastases or primary brain tumors
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age
• •18 and over
• •Performance status
• •Karnofsky 60-100% OR
• •ECOG 0-2
• •Life expectancy
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic
• •WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• •Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic
• •Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• •AST and ALT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases are present)
• •Renal
• •Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• •Cardiovascular
• •No prior cerebrovascular event
• •No prior orthostatic hypotension
• •No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• •No peripheral vascular disease requiring surgical management
• •No evidence of acute ischemia or significant conduction abnormality by EKG
• •Other
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 2 months after study participation
• •No evidence of peripheral neuropathy
• •No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to bortezomib
• •No other malignancy within the past 3 years except basal cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated nonmetastatic prostate cancer
• •No ongoing or active infection
• •No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study participation
• •No other concurrent uncontrolled illness that would preclude study participation
• •No other medical condition or reason that would preclude study participation
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy
• •More than 3 weeks since prior immunotherapy
• •No concurrent biological or immunological agents
• •Chemotherapy
• •No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen (including adjuvant chemotherapy)
• •More than 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)
• •No concurrent chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy
• •Not specified
• •Radiotherapy
• •More than 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• •No concurrent radiotherapy
• •Surgery
• •Not specified
• •Other
• •Recovered from all prior therapy
• •No other concurrent investigational agents
• •No other concurrent anticancer agent or therapy